In the spring of 2014, two couples and I went on a 4-day trek in the backcountry of Beni Mellal, once again with our guide Abdou. Hiring a guide who knows the mountains, the region, and the language inside out is an excellent way to experience a truly authentic immersion in the heart of Berber Morocco. We know that these “customized” hikes also provide work for local muleteers. All of this for a very reasonable price. It was, once again, a magnificent hike, where we experienced all four seasons in just four days.

“Hiring a guide is an excellent way to immerse yourself in the heart of Berber Morocco”

While the day before had been sunny and warm in Beni Mellal, we set out on Monday morning “in autumn” with fog and rain. Then we moved “into winter” with hail in the afternoon and snow in the evening.

We had planned to camp on the Igharghar plateau, but there was no way we were going to sleep in a tent under those conditions… Abdou, ever the planner, had a backup plan. So we stayed with locals at a very modest Berber farmhouse, where we shared a room with the mule drivers and our guide to sleep.

“We stayed with a local family on a Berber farm”

We could call this hike “Encounters in the Middle Atlas”; we met so many people in these mountains, untouched by mass tourism…. On the first afternoon, we had a picnic at Aïcha’s; she gave us the embers needed for an impromptu barbecue to cook the kid’s liver intended for the evening’s tagine. She also lent us a tagine to warm up the tomato sauce; which ended up as a “Berber omelet” thanks to the eggs from her chickens! Finally, she introduced us to the newest addition to her herd, a tiny kid barely a few hours old.

In the afternoon, the intensity of the hailstorm forced us to take shelter in another house; there we were able to warm up and dry off by a fire lit right on the floor, without a chimney…. Needless to say, it was better to sit than stand because the smoke stung our eyes badly! The modesty of the place didn’t stop the family from offering us tea, whose warmth did us a world of good.

In the house that took us in for the night, there was a stove in the main room, so there was a bit less smoke. We were able to change and dry our clothes. The children were wonderful despite the obvious lack of hygiene… especially the youngest, barely 6 years old, who was very spunky; and who would have loved to leave with her older brother and older sister (8 years old) the next morning to tend the flock of sheep on the plateau…

“When we woke up on Tuesday morning, we discovered the High Atlas Mountains completely covered in snow!”

When we woke up on Tuesday morning, we discovered the High Atlas Mountains completely covered in snow. The sky was clear blue, without a cloud in sight… A true spring day, with very mild temperatures… On Wednesday and Thursday, it was summer, with temperatures over 30°C!!!!!

In the morning, we stopped for tea with bread and melted butter (homemade) flavored with thyme; in a house that was a bit more “opulent” (relatively speaking, of course)… The grandmother had Parkinson’s disease… We left some Doliprane, which is a drop in the bucket compared to this woman’s need for treatment…

“Before dinner, we were treated to a real feast of lamb liver skewers, as only Moroccans know how to prepare them”

Our campsite for the second day was planned at Toujdarte. Very close to the home of Naïma, a young girl who lives with her parents and brother on a farm facing the High Atlas mountain range; and the cliff granaries of Wallous…

We were welcomed into the reception room, which was very clean and where homemade woven rugs and blankets were piled up in impeccable order… This farm is kept remarkably clean by its owners… Before dinner, we were also treated to a real feast of lamb liver skewers, prepared in a way that only Moroccans know how…

In the morning, we had tea in the middle of a field; invited by a farmer who was mowing fodder for his animals. The day before, it was sheep-shearing day, and our hosts had slaughtered a lamb for the occasion… We then had dinner in the “living room”; and slept in tents pitched facing the view so we could better enjoy it upon waking! Much to the dismay of the owner of the property, who insisted that we accept their hospitality and sleep in the living room!

On the third day, we reluctantly left this incredibly welcoming family… In the morning, we had tea in the middle of a field; invited by a farmer who was mowing fodder for his animals. Lunch was eaten at another farm. In fact, we reheated the leftovers from the previous night’s tagine, which had been too hearty for our evening appetite; our appetites having been dulled by the “skewer appetizer” (at least three per person).

After stopping to admire the magnificent communal granary in the Toulouine Valley (between Tagleft and Moujd), we pitched our tents under olive trees near a stream where we enjoyed cooling off.

On the last day, finally, we made other unplanned stops. For we were insistently invited by the families we met to drink tea—or whey—and eat bread and olive oil! We knew that Berber hospitality was generous… But this goes beyond that, for people are capable of taking from their daily necessities to offer them to the passing traveler….

We were able to witness the austerity of this rudimentary life, where, despite everything, there is good cheer; and a form of happiness that we likely cannot fully grasp… Most of these people know little, if anything, about our consumer society…. We experienced true moments of sharing….

“We were insistently invited by the families we met to drink tea—or buttermilk—and eat bread and olive oil!”

The presence of Abdou, who knows practically everyone in this part of the Middle Atlas, is invaluable. Abdou listens to people and their problems (road repairs, water issues…); and he therefore doesn’t hesitate to act as their spokesperson with the regional authorities. His simplicity and generosity allow him to maintain genuine relationships with the local population—something we fully benefited from as hikers!

As for the scenery, we were spoiled, as the Middle Atlas is at its most beautiful during this season. The ochre of the earth blends with the green of the meadows, the gray and pale green of the mountains; the red of the poppies, the yellow, purple, and white of the other flowers….

“We were able to witness the austerity of this rudimentary life, where despite everything there is good cheer; and a form of happiness that we likely cannot fully grasp…”

Throughout this hike, we observed that every single plot of farmland was cultivated: potatoes, peas… We wondered if the people we met were aware of the breathtaking beauty of the landscapes surrounding them??

The harshness of their daily lives—where it often takes nearly half a day to bring water home—likely prevents them from savoring the beauty of the surroundings; as we, as hikers, are able to do. Our last day was the most “challenging” with 800 meters of elevation gain. But over the course of these four days of hiking, the variety of landscapes and the pleasure of interacting with the Berber people more than made up for the physical effort!

“The earth’s ochre blends with the green of the meadows, the gray and pale green of the mountains, the red of the poppies, and the yellow, purple, and white of the other flowers…”

We also spent Thursday evening with Abdou and Nezha, his wife, who cooked us a beef tagine for a change from goat and lamb. Then we headed back down to Beni Mellal, where we were delighted to return to the comfort of our home and, above all, our own beds!